Farewell to the Liar

Well here we are, the final chapter in the Tales of Fenest. And what a final chapter! I have been eagerly awaiting these last two election stories - and the continuation of Cora’s own story - and I was not disappointed. After the developments at the end of Stitcher, I was intrigued to see where the plot would go, and just what it was about the Wayward story that deemed it so dangerous.

Storytelling is the foundation of the nation, but also of this trilogy, and Farewell to the Liar ramps this up a notch. In a place where elections are fought and won on stories, stories hold power, yes, but there’s more to power than political control (though it may not seem like it a lot of the time…). Even as the stories throughout the trilogy ruminate on destruction and preservation, looking back and looking forwards, they also linger on humanity, its hopes and fears, and its capacity to navigate conflict. As Cora’s eyes are opened to what’s really going on in the South, and to the machinations of the Commission, she has her own decisions to make, and it was fascinating to watch her have to juggle the conflict of head and heart. There are so many layers that make up Cora Gorderheim, that she is a deeply captivating character, flaws and all. Beneath all the smoke, there may well be a heart of (slightly tarnished, perhaps) gold, but, most compelling for me is how she both embodies the conflict between pragmatism and idealism as a creation, and grapples with it as a character.

As with the previous two books, I couldn’t help but get pulled into the allegories and turn my mind to our own times - especially in the wake of the last year or so - and the ecological, political, and social contexts in which we live: are we resigned to apathetic acceptance, or is the hope of an optimistic future enough to get us there?

Brilliantly imagined and incredibly thought-provoking, this trilogy is one which I am sure I will return to again and again; the suspenseful mystery is absorbing, the characters are imbued with such an essence of humanity that they sing with realism, and the world-building is so rich that part of me wouldn’t mind spending a little time there myself (maybe a few years prior to the events of the trilogy, though…). An absolutely cracking read.

What a great conclusion to an excellent trilogy!

When I got this ARC, I didn't actually know that this was part of a trilogy, I just thought it sounded it interesting. I quickly realised and went and bought the first two books. The whole series has been fantastic, and one of the things I really enjoyed about these books were the stories within the story. As each storyteller took their turn, it was great to see how you would vote yourself for the story they were telling to the Audience.

I really liked the world building in this. The different areas like the Tear, the Rusting Mountains, the Lowlands, etc., plus the Swaying Audience of 50 gods who listen to the stories of the people that you tell them throughout your life. It was just an interesting religious based system that I felt was really well done.

I liked the characters. Cora isn't perfect, and she makes mistakes. She holds on to things from the past and allows that to cloud her judgment about things, but she also shows development.

Sometimes, with a trilogy or series, the ending can be disappointing, but I was really pleased with how this one ended. I definitely recommend it.

When I got this ARC I had no idea that it was part of a trilogy, I honestly just wanted to read it because it sounded really interesting. The whole series is really great and this book provides an excellent conclusion to the overall story.

Farewell to the Liar has really excellent world building and all of the locales are really neat. The characters are also great and display excellent personal growth and development. Overall, it's a really pleasing read.